Manufacturer moving operations to Gates, to create 189 jobs

Trellis Earth Products Inc. plans to move its headquarters and manufacturing operations to the Rochester Technology Park in Gates and create 189 jobs, officials announced Wednesday.

Trellis has been headquartered in Portland, Ore., since its founding in 2006. Its manufacturing operations have been in China, officials said.

A maker of sustainable food-service products, Trellis will invest $8.3 million to construct a new facility here, officials said. It plans to break ground by the end of the summer on an 80,000-square-foot building at the tech park. Total employment is expected to reach 189 by June 2018.

Trellis will manufacture forks, knives and spoons, and food-service flatware and flexible products including clamshells, school lunch trays and plates, officials said.

The Empire State Development Corp. will provide Trellis with $1.5 million in tax credits and a $500,000 grant.

“Trellis, as an industry leader, is committed to creating jobs here at home,” said Michael Senzaki, president and CEO of Trellis statement. “We see the value of being a New York-based manufacturing company where we can be close to our major markets while having access to the resources and support services we need to launch a world-class manufacturing facility.”

Monroe County has agreed to provide up to $500,000 in low-interest financing, up to $300,000 in an interest subsidy, $50,000 for training, and possible rebates on equipment purchases.

Trellis makes more than 100 eco-friendly branded products for more than 1,000 customers nationally.

What You're Saying

Great! A green business coming to town. I hope they are planning a LEED certified building. I would love to work for Trellis.

michael thornton at 8:28:41 AM on 7/11/2013

Hooray! More and $2.5 million in taxpayer subsidies will get 189 low paying jobs! We are now as good as China! Celebrate the downward spiral.......

Sandy Montalbano at 3:51:57 PM on 8/1/2013

Good article! Thanks for recognizing the reshoring trend.

Michael Senzaki, president and CEO of Trellis mentions the benefits of Reshoring, such as being close to their major markets. The impacts of factors such as these can be considered by companies by using total c... Read More >

Good article! Thanks for recognizing the reshoring trend.

Michael Senzaki, president and CEO of Trellis mentions the benefits of Reshoring, such as being close to their major markets. The impacts of factors such as these can be considered by companies by using total cost of ownership to make sourcing decisions.

The not-for-profit Reshoring Initiative provides a free online Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) software that helps companies calculate the real offshoring impact on their P&L. In many cases companies will find that, although the production cost is lower offshore, the total cost is higher.

The Initiative http://www.reshorenow.org tracks all U.S. reported and some private cases of reshoring and concludes that about 80,000 manufacturing jobs have been reshored since Jan. 1, 2010. If companies consistently evaluate all of the costs and risks, about 500,000 more manufacturing jobs would come back today. Current research shows many companies can reshore about 25% of what they have offshored and improve their profitability.

Readers can help bring back jobs and increase profitability by asking their companies to reevaluate offshoring decisions. Suppliers can use the TCO software to convince their customers to reshore.

You can reach Harry Moser, Founder/President of The Reshoring Initiative at harry.moser@reshorenow.org< close